Lizzie’s new diet

Over the last year or so, Lizzie has gradually put on several pounds. I believe this is mainly due to her somewhat apathetic view towards exercise. Her diet has not changed. She eats the recommended amount of food for her ideal weight. So, the clear culprit is lack of exercise.

It’s not that I don’t take her on walks or jogs. I do. She just hates them. She prefers to spend her time lounging from bed to couch back to bed all day. Occasionally she will chase her tail or get up and play with her toys, but that usually only lasts for about ten minutes. It hardly counts as physical activity.

In an effort to keep Lizzie healthy and also increase her longevity, I’ve done a bit of research on homemade dog food. There are a lot of proponents for the “raw” diet for dogs, but I certainly do not believe Lizzie would eat that way if she lived in the wild. Honestly, she probably would not make it very long living outside of my home. She has a charmed life. Anyway, I’m not nearly as educated on the subject matter, but of course have an opinion that stems from my gut reaction to the concept. Yes, I agree at one point a dog’s diet definitely fit the guidelines for eating raw. However, I believe that after years and years of domestication, that diet is no longer acceptable for the majority of dogs.

After reading through recipes and book excerpts, I’ve decided to gradually switch Lizzie over to homemade stews. She will still receive her regular food several times a week, but the majority of her meals will be ones that I prepare.

Earlier today I made my first batch of stew for Lizzie. It was extremely easy, covers all the basic foods a dog needs, and I think will be beneficial in the long run. Lizzie is a part of my family. I pride myself on cooking quality, healthy ingredients, with very few artificial anythings for my friends and family. Why would I want anything less for Lizzie? We only have a few years with our pets, so if I can do something that will hopefully extend her life span, I’m all for it.

I’ll keep you updated on whether the new diet helps get her weight under control and any other benefits I see from serving her the stew. Here is this weeks recipe.